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And finally

THE Black Cats have struck black gold. Tullow Oil is the new sponsor of Sunderland football club via its Invest in Africa initiative.

Aidan Heavey, Tullow’s chief executive, reckons “every kid in every school” in Africa will want next season’s club jersey, which will have Invest in Africa emblazoned across the chest. It should at least be more recognisable there than Sunderland’s Boylesportssponsored shirt from a few seasons ago.

Invest in Africa is a non-profit organisation founded by Heavey, a football nut, to promote (yes, you’ve guessed it) investment in Africa. He set it up with Niall Quinn when the former Irish international was Sunderland’s head of international development late last year. The idea was to attract other companies, but so far Tullow is alone on the pitch.

The Sunderland sponsorship is structured so that the club gets more cash if other companies